When Her Death Couldn't Break Him novel Chapter 12

As Cecilia looked around, everything felt exceptionally unfamiliar. Once again, she had forgotten the way back. She pulled out her mobile phone to use the GPS but struggled to recall the name of the place where she was staying. Calvin had been following her at a distance, worried about her since Nathaniel had left. Seeing Cecilia standing alone, he couldn’t help but approach her. “Cecilia.” Startled, Cecilia instinctively thought that Nathaniel had returned. A glimmer of hope sparked in her eyes, but when she turned around, it was replaced by a sense of loss. Calvin walked toward her. “Do you really not remember me?” Cecilia gazed at him, struggling to place his face. “I’m Fatso; have you forgotten?” Calvin prompted gently. It was then that Cecilia remembered. When she was a child living in the countryside with Martha, she had a friend named Fatso. Calvin had been chubby and shorter than her back then, but now, he had grown into a tall, imposing figure with striking features. “I remember now; you’ve changed so much that I hardly recognized you.” Reuniting with an old friend in such a foreign place brought a faint smile to Cecilia’s face, though it was tinged with bitterness that didn’t escape Calvin’s notice. “Come on, I’ll take you home,” Calvin offered. After dropping Cecilia off, Calvin was surprised to discover that she was staying in a rundown motel. For someone from a prestigious family like the Rainsworth family, even after a divorce, she shouldn’t have been reduced to such a state. Cecilia felt uneasy. “Sorry for the trouble,” she said softly. “I live here, but please don’t tell Martha. I’m afraid it would worry her.” Calvin nodded, unsure of how to comfort her. It was late, and he couldn’t stay indefinitely. After promising to visit her the next day, he left. As Calvin drove away, he didn’t notice the matte black Cadillac parked in the shadows beneath the building. For Cecilia, it didn’t matter where she lived. After Calvin left, she felt the discomfort from the drinks she had earlier, her stomach churning and her head spinning. Nathaniel’s cruel words echoed in her mind. “You look like a ghost! Who would even like a woman like you?” She rubbed the makeup off her face and the lipstick from her lips, her pale skin flushing and swelling from the rough treatment. After realizing she was suffering from depression, Cecilia had sought information about the condition. She knew that depression could lead to brain damage, causing memory loss and cognitive dysfunction. It could make a person dwell on unhappy thoughts, amplifying their distress. Knock, knock! The sound of persistent knocking echoed through the room. Cecilia thought Calvin had returned, so she got up to open the door. But the moment it swung open, her wrist was firmly grasped by Nathaniel. He held her slender wrist so tightly that it felt as though it might snap. “Cecilia! You’ve truly taken me by surprise!” Nathaniel’s voice was harsh as he closed the door behind him and unceremoniously guided her to the nearby couch. “So you’ve already chosen your next partner—no wonder you’re so willing to let go!” His words were like daggers, cutting deep. Seeing Calvin with her had ignited a spark of jealousy and misunderstanding in Nathaniel. Cecilia couldn’t comprehend why Nathaniel’s first love held such a place in his heart, yet nothing she did seemed to reach him. She looked straight into Nathaniel’s furious eyes, her own reddening at the corners. “We’re just two of a kind,” she whispered. The Smith family had deceived him in marriage, and Nathaniel had treated her with indifference for three years while still harboring feelings for his first love. Neither of them was nobler than the other. Nathaniel had consumed some alcohol that night, and his entire being exuded the scent of liquor. He gripped Cecilia’s chin, his eyes rimmed red as he murmured, “Who was he? When did you two meet?” It was the first time Cecilia had seen him like this, and she suddenly laughed. “Are you jealous?” Nathaniel’s dark eyes narrowed as he retorted sarcastically, “Are you worthy of my jealousy?” Cecilia choked back tears. However, Nathaniel leaned in closer, persisting with his questions by her ear. “Did he have sex with you much earlier? Hmm?” They had been married for three years, during which Cecilia had given up her job to follow the customs of the Rainsworth family. She had even turned down occasional invitations from friends. But now, Nathaniel was beginning to doubt her fidelity. At that moment, Cecilia felt an unexpected sense of relief. “What do you think?” she countered. Nathaniel was thoroughly infuriated, his burning hand moving downward. Cecilia’s blood seemed to freeze as she struggled to comprehend what was happening. She wanted to resist, to fight back, but it was futile. It wasn’t until the very last moment had passed that Nathaniel finally calmed down. Outside, the sky was beginning to brighten. Nathaniel looked at the thin and frail Cecilia, then his gaze shifted to the glaring red stain on the bedsheet. He couldn’t quite describe the feeling in his heart. Smack! The sharp sound of a slap echoed through the room as Cecilia struck Nathaniel across his handsome face. The slap shattered all her past illusions of love. She clapped her hands over her ears, unable to make out what Nathaniel was saying, and cut him off, “Get out!” Nathaniel had no idea how he managed to leave. Scenes from the night before filled his mind. Once he got into the car, he dialed his assistant, Mason. “Find out who the men in Cecilia’s life are,” he ordered. Mason was somewhat bewildered. After her marriage, Cecilia’s world revolved around Mr. Rainsworth. Did she even know any other men? Inside the motel, after Nathaniel left, Cecilia meticulously cleaned herself over and over again. As their divorce loomed, they had finally experienced the essence of being a married couple. It was, when spoken aloud, both laughable and tragically ironic. In the morning, around nine o’clock, Calvin brought over breakfast, oblivious to Cecilia’s unusual demeanor. “I left in such a hurry last night, I forgot to mention we have a vacant house in our property. You’re welcome to stay there. It’s not safe for a girl to stay in a motel.” Cecilia shook her head in refusal. It was difficult to repay human kindness, and she didn’t want to owe anyone anything. Calvin expected her refusal. “Either way, the place is vacant. You might as well move in—I’m not going to charge you rent.” “But I’ll only need it for a month,” she said. “One month it is, then. It’s certainly better than leaving it unoccupied,” Calvin agreed. He couldn’t fathom why she claimed she could only stay for a month, considering they had plenty of time ahead. As he drove Cecilia over to the house, she had nothing but a single, simple suitcase, devoid of any other luggage. After getting into the car, Calvin and Cecilia reminisced about their childhood memories. Later, he shared what he had been up to over the years. After high school, he had moved abroad, worked diligently while studying, and by the age of twenty, he had established his own company. Now, he was quite a wealthy businessman. Upon hearing his rich experiences, Cecilia found herself reflecting on her own life. After graduation, she had married Nathaniel and become a homemaker. She gazed at Calvin with admiration. “You’re truly impressive.” “You were capable too. After you left the village, I kept track of you. I saw you on TV, and even witnessed you winning first place in the Youth’s Piano Competition… You also sang, right? Did you know? Back then, you were my idol…” Calvin didn’t tell Cecilia about his struggles. Back in the days when he was studying abroad alone, life hadn’t initially been easy for him. He had picked up bad habits and fallen into a state of self-degeneration until he saw the news about Cecilia—a person born with a hearing impairment who had managed to achieve so much. Ordinarily, the doors to the music industry would’ve long been closed to her.